Protecting shield for bank cages and the like



I 3; 1 4% wmawa's'aa Feb. 18, 1930. w. E. WRIGHT 1,747,655

PROTECTING SHIELD FOR BANK CAGES AND THE LIKE Filed June 5, 1928Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED S'EA'EEfi PATENT: QFFEE WILLIAM E. WRIGHT,OIE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS PROTECTING SHIELD FOR BANK CAGES AND THE LIKEApplication filed June 5, 1928.

This invention relates to a shield designed primarily for use inconnection with bank cages and the like whereby, in the event ofattempted hold-up the shields can be automatically brought to positionsWhere they will protect the occupants of the cages.

Another object is to provide a shield of this character which, when notin use, is out of the way and inconspicuous but, when released bymechanism provided for that purpose, will snap automatically and quicklyto position to protect the occupant of the cage.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a cage having the presentimprovements combined therewith, a part of the locking mechanism beingshown in diagram.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectionon line 44, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Figure 3, said section showing thecorner bearing to reduce friction when the shield is actuated.

Figure 6 is a section on lines 66 Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail view of a portion of the locking mechanism.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a cagesuch as used in banks, the same being provided, as ordinarily, with agrating 2 extending at the sides and in front thereof, there being awindow 3 in this grating with a counter 4. Arranged along the bottomportion of the grating at Serial No. 283,116.

the sides and front thereof is a channeled rail 5 having inturnedflanges 6 at the top thereof, this rail extending continuously from theback of one side forwardly to the front, thence across the front, andfinally back to the rear end of the other side of the grating. The frontcorner portions of the rail are rounded as shown at 7 and formed withinthe channeled rail at these rounded portions are antifriction rollersarranged in arcuate series as indicated at 8 in Figure 5.

Another rail 9 similar to the rail 5 is located adjacent the top of thegrating but is inverted, the inturned flanges 10 being located at thebottom thereof. Arcuate series of anti-friction rollers 11 are locatedat the rounded corner portions of the rail, however, these rollerscorresponding with the rollers 8 heretofore described. A metal fabricformed preferably of steel rings fitting together closely is interposedbetween the rails, this fabric being indicated generally at 14. Thelower edge of the fabric extends downwardly between the inturned flanges6 while the upper edge extends upwardly between the inturned flanges 10.At desired intervals the fabric may be reinforced by rods 15 attachedthereto. One of these rods is located at each end of the fabric and thefabric is of sufficient length to extend entirely across the front ofthe cage. When not in use the fabric will extend backwardly at one sideof the cage as shown in Figure 1. When in this position it will beengaged by a bolt 16 constituting an extension of the core of a solenoidindicated at 17 this solenoid being included in a circuit 18 adapted tobe closed by a button or other switch 19 located under the counter at oron the floor where it can be reached readily by the occupant of the cagewhen it is desired to release the shield by energizing the magnet. Thisbolt 16 is located at the rear end of one side of one of the rails. Atthe rear end of the rails at the other side of the cage there arearranged upper and lower housings 20 in which are journaled the upperand lower portions of an actuating shaft 21. Pulleys 22 are connected tothe ends of this shaft and located in the respective housings and toeach of these pulleys is attached one end of a cable 23 or otherflexible device which extends longitudinally within the adjacentchanneled rail, is guided around the corner portions thereof by therollers 8, and is attached to the forward end of the shield 14. Springs24 are mounted on the shaft 21 within the respective housings 20 and areconstantly under tension so as to exert a constant pull through theflexible connections 23 upon the shield 14.

For the purpose of holding the shield against up and down movement,anti-friction rollers 25 can be journaled on the sides of the rods 14 soas to bear upon the inner surfaces of the flanges 6 and 10 as shownparticularly in Figure A.

Under normal conditions the shield is drawn back to the retractedposition shown in Figure 1 and is held against movement by the bolt 16which engages the back end portion of the shield. At this time thesprings 24 are held under increased tension. Assuming that an attempt ismadeto rob the occupant of the cage 1, said occupant can close theswitch 19 with his foot or hand according to the location of the switchand this will cause the solenoid 17 to be energized. Consequently thebolt 16 will be retracted from engagement with the shield and thesprings 24 will immediately rotate the shaft 21 at high speed, causingthe pulleys 22 to wind the flexible connections 23 thereon so as to pullthe shield 14 from the side of the cage to position across the frontthereof. Thus it will act to protect the occupant of the cage who canthereafter take any necessary steps to prevent the robbery.

Although only one cage has been shown, it is to be understood that abank containing several cages can have each cage equipped with theapparatus described and, if desired, the actuation of a single switch inany one of the cages can be caused to operate all of the latchessimultaneously so that all the shields will be moved to protectingpositions.

Although the shield is preferably made up of a ring metal fabric, it isto be understood that it can be made of any other flexible materialsufficiently strong to guard against injury from bullets.

Although a particular kind of latch and operating means therefor havebeen shown and described, it is to be understood that any suitable meansfor holding the shield retracted and any suitable means for releasingthe shield can be employed.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the class described the combination with an inclosureand superposed rails extending along the sides and front thereof, of aflexible shield movable along the rails, means for holding said shieldretracted between the rails at one side of the housing, and resilientmeans having all portions housed and concealed in the rails for pullingthe shield horizontally to position between the rails at the front ofthe housing when said shield is released from its holding means.

2. In apparatus of the class described the combination with an inclosureand superposed rails extending along the sides and front thereof, of aflexible shield movable along the rails, means for holding said shieldretracted between the rails at one side of the housing, and resilientmeans having all portions housed and concealed in the rails for pullingthe shield horizontally to position between the rails at the front ofthe housing when said shield is released from its holding means, saidmeans including a spring actuated shaft, winding elements rotatable withthe shaft, and flexible connections between said elements and theshield, said connections normally extending longitudinally within therails at the front and sides thereof.

8. In apparatus of the class described the combination with an inclosureand superposed rails extending along the sides and front thereof, of aflexible shield movable along the rails, means for holding said shieldretracted between the rails at one side of the housing, resilient meanshaving all portions housed and concealed in the rails for pulling theshield to position between the rails at the front of the housing whensaid shield is released from its holding means, and anti-frictiondevices carried by the shield and operating within the rails forsupporting the shield vertically between the rails.

4. In apparatus of the class described the combination with an inclosureand superposed rails extending along the sides and front thereof, of aflexible shield movable along the rails, means for holding said shieldretracted between the rails at one side of the housing, resilient meanshaving all portions housed and concealed in the rails for pulling theshield to position between the rails at the front of the housing whensaid shield is released from its holding means, anti-friction devicescarried by the shield and operating within the rails for supporting theshield vertically between the rails, and anti-friction devices disposedin arcs within the rails for engagement by the actuating means andshield where the side and front portions of the rails merge.

5. In apparatus of the class described the combination with an enclosureand rails at the front thereof, of a flexible shield movable along therails, means for holding the shield in inactive position between therails,

eeec osu" and resilient means for pulling the shield along the rails toclose the front of the housing when said shield is released from itsholding means, said resilient means includ ing a spring actuated shaft,winding elements rotatable with the shaft, and a flexible connectionbetween said elements and the shield, all portions of said connectionbetween the winding elements and the shield being concealed and extendedlongitudinally within the rails.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature.

WILLIAM E. WRIGHT.

